Where She Belongs
by mmshhuelle
Summary: She left years ago, four and half to be exact, running away from everything that hurts her. Now she's back. Could coming home possibly be good for her? Or was heartbreak waiting to push her away from the people who love her the most. NILEY.
1. Chapter 1

_She's back._ He thought, had he heard right? No he couldn't have, Joe did not just tell him that.

"Nick, are you listening?" Joe pressed once more.

Nick shook his head, desperately trying to grasp what he had just heard. She was back. She is back. Back here, in Dallas after being gone so long in LA.

"Who's back?" Selena walked into her boyfriend's room looking at both Nick and Joe.

Joe awkwardly looked down, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news. Not that her being back was bad news. Well maybe for the couple but not for everyone else who had fallen in love with her also. He looked at Nick wondering what was going on in his head. The way his eyes widen as he came over this morning to tell him who he had just seen the other day. Predictable, he thought.

Selena walked over to Nick and laid a kiss as she asked once more, "So, going to tell me who this mystery person is?"

Nick wrapped his arms around his beautiful girlfriend and looked at Joe before answering. He pressed his lips onto her forehead. "Miley," he spoke.

xoxo

She walked up to the yellow, cream house in front of her. This was somewhat novel yet familiar at the same time. She had cried on these steps before. She had felt every emotion she possibly could on these steps. She held onto her bags as she walked through the doors.

Home, she thought, sweet home.

But there was nothing sweet about being home. All of it screamed, failure, at her.

Everything felt the same, even if she hadn't step foot on these floors since five years ago. Her mom had been taking care of each room waiting on her to come back. She swore she could still smell the scent of her mom lingering in the spaces. Warm, french vanilla.

She tried smiling slightly at the familiarity, but she couldn't let go of all the wrong things that had happen here in this small town of Dallas. Dropping her bags in the living room, she walked towards the cream door down the hall in front of her. The red walls were still there. More faded now, but still there. She looked around, her eyes landing on the wall of her closet. His name was still there, still sketched into the wood as if it was yesterday. Her eyes trailed down the wall a bit more, _forever_.

And at that moment she wanted to puke.

xoxo

Joe walked down the street, trying to play in his head what had just happened. He rolled his eyes at the idea of Nick being over her as if that wasn't the truth at all. His little sister was back. Well not blood, but close enough for him to only regard her as his little sister.

He looked over at the yellow house and noticed the door being open. He knew she was home and getting ready to unpack after spending all of yesterday leaving the airport. He wanted to walk in, but he knew he shouldn't. Not at that moment.

He continued down the block, reaching his house, he sighed. He headed towards the kitchen, knowing the particular person he wanted to see was in there. He walked up to the brunette preparing dinner and hugged her from behind.

"You know, I love you, right?" He spoke against her ears. She smiled as she leaned against him. She put down the knife and turned around to face her husband.

"Of course," her eyes brightly smiling and she pecked him on the lips.

He deepened he kiss before breaking away. "Good," he grinned before letting the silence engulf them.

Demetria turned back towards cutting the carrots. "How did he take it?" she spoke up as she slid the carrots into the pot.

Joe sighed once again. He walked towards the sink to wash his hands and then turned to sit down at the counter across from her. "He says he's glad she is back. Selena walked in when I was telling him."

Demi looked up from the cutting board. She gave him this look as to motion him to continue. Stopping, she waited for his response.

"She knows who Miley is and she understands that there is no threat," Joe continued, "only because Nick convinced her."

Demi chuckled lightly and a bit sarcastically before returning back to preparing dinner. Joe pressed on, "He says he only wants her to be happy and if being home makes her happy, he can't really take that away from her."

"Happy?" Demi questioned, "Does he not know that this small town in Dallas is literally her worst nightmare?" She sighed. "Miley is not happy here, she was once upon a time, but not now and probably not ever. She had an emotional rollercoaster here, with her heart being broken and now her mom being gone..." Demi choked to keep from the tears falling, "...there is no way this place brings her happiness."

xoxo

Miley had already unpacked, putting her clothes into the drawers and closet. She made a mental note to buy paint. It was time to paint over certain walls or maybe just one.

It was already nine-o-clock. She looked out her window, down towards the green house. He wasn't that much farther away from her anymore. She looked at the opposite direction, towards the light blue house. Funny how, she was in the middle of everything. Mere steps to her right and there lived her first heartbreak and mere steps to her left held the people who have always been there for her.

The phone rang snapping her out of her deep thought.

"Hello," she picked up.

"Hi, best friend ever" the voice on the other line returned.

Miley smiled as she leaned towards the wall, "Hi, best friend."

She laughed as she heard a distant voice scream, "I thought I was your best friend, Miles."

"Tell Joe that he is." She laughed again.

Demi passed along the message with laughter. "All settled in, M?"

"Warm and cozy," Miley released the sarcastic remark. There was a knock on her door before she could hear what Demi was saying. "I have to go, D. There's someone at the door."

She hung up and walked towards the door handle. Twisting it, she pulled the door open and she had wished her eyes were deceiving her.

Curly-hair and all, stood the built man on her porch. "Hi, Mi" his lips tugged at a small smile.

Mi, she thought. He still called her that. She frowned at the thought, how could he act as if nothing had happened. How could he say that name like the past five years had wound back in time.

He felt discomfort at her frowning in front of him. "Sorry, shouldn't have said that."

She shook her head and laughed. "What do you want, Nicholas?"

He cringed at his full name, remembering that she only spoke it when she was irritated and confident. Mainly confident and it was enough to scare him away.

"Heard you were home," he looked her in the eyes, "wanted to see how you were doing."

She laughed once again, this time more bitterly than she had intended. "How I'm doing?"

"Well, Nicholas, my mom died, my career in fashion went down the drain with every mile I flew back here, and honestly this whole fucking town reminds me of why I left in the first place. So I would say, Nicholas, I am doing fan-fucking-tastic." She let each word roll out with more menace at the tip of her tongue.

He moved to comfort her, not knowing what else to say.

She chuckled and pushed him away. "No," she screamed. "You don't get to comfort me, you don't fucking get to." The tears now evident against her cheek bones.

Now, he was mad. "Me?" he spoke up against her accusation that he was at fault. "I ran after you. I was there when you needed me all those years ago. You're the one who turned me down. You ran away, remember?"

He looked at her again in the eye, "So I don't get to comfort you? You're right. I don't, not anymore, because this is it. I'm tired of you pushing me away." All the past emotions he pushed down came crawling up as he stood in front of her. He needed to get away. He needed to walk away at this moment before he did something irrational or rational in their case. Nothing was safe anymore and all boundaries were murky each time.

"I pushed you away? You lost hope. And that's why you walked away." She spoke harshly and slammed her door in his face.

He stood there stunned and a few seconds later he left back to his house.

She slid down the wall, crying her eyes out.

xoxo

Miley had fallen asleep on the couch after bringing herself to get off the floor. The lights shone brightly through the curtains waking her up.

"Ugh" Miley opened her eyes. "Why are the damn curtains open?"

"Because you, my dear, need to get your ass up," Demi spoke from the kitchen, "and get changed."

Miley winced at her tone and pulled over the blanket to cover her face. "Let me sleep," she groaned. "There's nothing out there that won't screw me over."

Demi sighed and looked among the pantry and cabinets in the kitchen. There was no way in hell Miley would be able to take care of herself in this house. She didn't know what to do she didn't understand how to cheer her up. Demi had fallen in love with this town, it was her hometown. Sure, she had moved around a lot from the east coast to up north and around the west coast before settling down in Texas with Joe. But she understood this town meant nothing special to Miley like it did for her.

Miley laid under the blanket for a while, wondering if she had won. She heard Demi's heels clattered along the floor to a sudden stop.

"Fine," Demi let the words roll out of her tongue with attitude. "You're going to eventually have to get your skinny ass off that couch and face what is out there."

Miley heard the door slam. She sighed as she pulled the blanket down from her face. What in the world was she doing here, she thought. How could this possible be the best move in her life? She looked at the clock above the t.v. Eleven- thirty, she groaned. Demi was right, she had to get off this couch.

But then again, she sighed to herself. "There really isn't anything out there worth my time." This whole town sucks. The people here suck. And she sank back into her sleep.

xoxo

Joe heard the front door slammed. Things didn't go well, he guessed from how hard the noise was. He sat up in bed ready for the complaints heading his way.

"JOE!" Demi yelled from downstairs

"In the bedroom," Joe replied back loud enough for her to hear. He heard her footsteps going up the stairs.

"That little brat," Demi spat as she entered. "Why in the world would she ever come back here if everything that breathes in the town makes her way too bitter for her own good?"

Joe opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off before he could make a sound.

"I swear, if she wasn't my best friend. I would totally kick her ass," Demi sat down on the bed. "Wait, I totally could still kick her ass, I'm her best friend, who else would have permission."

Joe chuckled before wrapping his arms around her from the back. He moved her hair and began kissing down her neck. "Calm down," he spoke between kisses. "That's..." he kissed. "Miley..." he moved down. "...for you." He was kissing her back now.

Demi smiled for a moment, taking in the hot breath all over her skin. "I don't care if that's Miley," she moaned. "She's lucky that I'm her best friend or else everything in this town is out to screw her over."

Joe pulled her down and pulled her closer to him. "Let her do it her way," he faced Demi.

Demi moved closer and pulled him in for a kiss that lasted less than a minute before she pulled away. Joe groaned and hit his head back against the pillow.

"Get up," she demanded as she got off the bed. "We need to go grocery shopping."

Joe groaned again, "But we did that yesterday. What more could you possible get?" He pulled the comforter closer to him before looking at his wife. "I mean I could really starve if the food happens to go missing in like fifteen seconds."

Demi laughed. "Not for us dork. For Miley, she is going to starve if we don't help her." She pulled him up again. "Please, I don't want to go alone." She kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Fine," he sighed before removing the comforter.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Demi smiled. As Joe went to get ready, Demi knew in her heart this was where she belonged. Right here, right in the arms of the man she loves and right at home. She sighed as her thoughts went back to Miley. "Now if I could only prove that to her," she whispered to herself.

xoxo

Nick looked down at his girlfriend lying next to him. He pushed the hair falling in her face away and smiled to himself. He placed a kiss on her head as he stroke her hair back.

Selena woke up, smiling. "Why, hello there handsome."

Nick smiled warmly at Selena and continued to stroke her hair before wrapping his arms around her. He pulled her close and whispered in her ear, "Good morning to you too, beautiful."

Selena giggled before breaking away and turning to face him. "How was seeing Miley last night?" She thought to bring the subject up.

Nick's eyes flicked to pain for a moment but not long enough for Selena to recognize. He smiled slightly before settling on what was appropriate to say. "She was just being Miley," he chuckled.

Selena smiled before laughing along with him. She didn't really understand the statement as everyone else in this town had but had a glimpse of who Miley was through all the gossip. Selena had moved to Dallas four years ago when her job required her to do so. Her music production company had just started a new recording studio here in this small town, hoping to find some unknown talent.

_Selena picked up her bags from the airport reminding herself that she was almost there to her apartment. The plane ride to Dallas from New York was just the most tiring one she's ever been on. She didn't know rather it was the plane ride for her nervousness that worried her to sleep. She was just about to hail a cab when she heard someone sing. _

"_Nothing makes sense. Nothing makes sense anymore. Nothing is right. Nothing is right when you're gone. Losing my breath. Losing my right to be wrong. I'm frightened to death. I'm frightened that I won't be strong." _

_Selena turned around as her eyes followed the wonderful melody being played from the guitar. Her eyes landed on the freckled face, curly haired boy with his guitar. She hadn't seen whom he was singing to but that was some talent she thought. _

_She rushed over to him more excited than ever only to miss his sad eyes that seemed focused on something distant. _

"_That was really great!" She exclaimed before lending out her hand. "I'm Selena Russo, I'm a music producer from a company in New York and we just started a record label here." _

_Nick open his mouth a bit shocked as he shook her hand. "I'm Nick," he recovered blushing slightly. _

_Selena went on about how she wanted to sign him to the record label and help him become a musician. _

_Nick blushed again at her compliments. He hadn't wanted to be a musician. Music was and has always been a part of his life for as long as he could remember. Well he thought, for as long as the girl of his dreams had been in his life. His mind flickered back to what had brought him here at the airport. He shook Selena's hand again and let go. "I'm not really interested," he replied. "Excuse me, I have someone to catch." _

_And he ran off, leaving Selena slightly stunned. _

Nick looked at his girlfriend again, noticing her mind was somewhere else. "What are you thinking about?" he pulled her close once more.

She laughed once more, "When we first met."

Nick remembered the day and joined in with the laughter. "At the airport," he pressed on.

"Yep, and you turned down my offer of being signed as a musician." Selena giggled.

Nick's face fell as little as he attempted to laugh with his girlfriend. "Yeah, I don't know where my head was that day."

_Miley_, he thought to himself.

Selena pulled herself out of his arms before getting out of bed. "I'm going to hang out with Taylor today." She kissed his lips and then ran off to the restroom.

xoxo

The door opened and slammed shut, waking her up once again.

She groaned, "I really should lock that door sometimes."

"Oh please and not get amazing visitors like us?" Joe spoke up.

"Not get visitors who don't let me sleep," She replied bitterly.

Joe followed his wife towards the kitchen. "You were right Demi, someone did wake up in the wrong side of the bed this morning."

"Great," Miley growled, "My best friends are talking shit, absolutely wonderful."

"Hey it's what best friends are for," Demi plopped herself down on the couch after putting the groceries on the kitchen table. "They're also for getting to you food, so someone in this house won't starve."

"That's right, I don't want to starve." Joe piped in from the kitchen causing Demi to laugh.

"Come on, M." Demi pulled the blankets off. "This is your official first day back here and you're going to mope in the living room instead of hanging out with your best friend."

Demi sighed and put on her best puppy face. And for the second time, Miley wished she hadn't opened her eyes.

Miley sighed, "Fine, let me take a shower, get dressed, and then suffer this whole day outside with you."

Demi smiled before getting up to help Joe put away the food. Miley unwillingly got herself off the couch and headed upstairs. "Some best friend you are," she muttered.

**Enjoy :) Please review, I would really like it. **


	2. Chapter 2

Pulling her skinny jeans up, she looked at the mirror. She raised her shirt up getting a good look at her waist. She pinched her stomach and jumped at the sound of someone's voice behind her.

"You really have nothing to worry about," Joe spoke at the door.

"_Nick, let me go." Miley giggled as a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her. _

_Nick kissed her lightly on her shoulder blade. "Never," he smiled softly into her skin. "You're going to have to struggle and deal with this for the rest of your life." _

_Miley laughed louder this time. She attempted to wiggle out of his arms once more, but his grip on her was not so easy to get out of. She resorted to opening her mouth and biting down hard on his arm. _

"_Oww," Nick screamed as he let go. "What was that for?" _

_Miley turned around and smirked. "Now I don't have to deal with you ever." She went to get off the bed. _

_Nick quickly got over the pain just in time to pull her back down to the bed again. "Hey, not so fast there hot shot." _

_Miley let out a shriek as she felt her body fall back down into his arms. She giggled and turned to face him. "I wouldn't really want to leave you." She kissed him. "Besides you might just die if I leave; now we can't have that. Plus your mom would kill me." _

_He looked at her and smiled. It wasn't one of those normal smiles that he usually gave, this smile was special and Miley knew that. She blushed at his appearance before turning away quickly. _

"_Stop looking at me like that," she chuckled. _

"_Like what?" Nick questioned with a glimmer in his eyes. _

_Miley rolled her eyes. "Let me go, I have to get ready." _

"_Why can't you just lay here in bed with me all day?" Nick groaned as he pulled her closer. _

"_Because, if I don't get up, I'm going to lose that internship and then for sure I will have to spend the rest of my life in this bed with you. And just this bed, no apartment, no furniture, nothing because this will be the only piece of shit I can afford to keep." Miley laughed but turned to face him seriously. _

_Nick sighed, "Why is the future all you worry about?" _

"_I have to go," Miley kissed him again as she got up. "I don't worry so much about the future, because you're my future and you'll always be my future." _

_She moved her legs gracefully towards the bathroom in her room. Nick watched intently never letting her out of his sight. He smiled at how gorgeous his girlfriend is at any time of the day. He looked around trying to find the remote and saw it at the edge of his feet. He reached for it and turned on the television. _

_Miley smiled into the mirror as she heard the TV turned on. She pulled her hair in a bun and splashed water over her face. Taking the toothbrush, she squeezed the toothpaste and began brushing her teeth. She walked towards the door to get one more look at the man in her bed. _

_Tuning into the sports channel, Nick suddenly lost focus of what the score was and saw her at the door way. He smiled at her before she then turned back around slightly embarrassed. _

_Miley re-entered the room taking her hair out of the bun. She let it slide down her body and tried combing it with her fingers. Heading towards her closet, she looked at the time again. She had twenty minutes before she was going to be officially late. Nick had gotten off the bed and entered the restroom just as she had left it. _

_She slipped her arms into the white blouse and turned to face the mirror. She pinched slightly at her stomach before her hands headed to button up the shirt. _

"_You're beautiful, you know that?" Miley turned around to see Nick staring at her. He was leaning against the door as those words slip out his tongue. _

_He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Staring into the mirror, he whispered in her ear. "You really have nothing to worry about..." He kissed her neck moving up along her cheekbones, "...Absolutely breathtaking." as he turned her around and placed a kiss on her lips. _

"Miley?" Joe moved forward closer to her. "Are you listening to me?"

His voice rang into her head waking her up from where her mind was. She smiled meekly at Joe. "Thanks, best friend."

Joe smiled and continued, "Honestly, nothing at all to worry about." His eyes moved up and down to confirm.

Miley laughed before taunting him. "Hey, your eyes are for my best friend only, which just so happens to be your wife."

Joe laughed and motioned her to walk downstairs where Demi was waiting. Miley grabbed her bag along the way out before linking her arms with Joe. The two of them made their way down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"She's all ready and yours my darling." Joe laughed as they entered.

Demi looked up from the table and smiled at her husband and best friend. "Finally," she playfully sighed. "You took so long, I had to make Joe go up there and get you."

Miley smirked back at the dark-haired girl, "Well, maybe you shouldn't. Someone here was just hitting on your best friend."

Joe dropped his mouth, getting ready to defend himself. Demi gave both of them a look and rolled her eyes. "Miley, I know that your single and overly bitter but please stop hitting on my best friend. He happens to be my husband you know." She smirked, "And I am all for kicking your ass."

Miley gawked for a moment as Demi laughed. Joe joined in as he sat next to Demi. "Please, Demi, I can totally do better," and she joined in laughing as Joe stopped and dogged her.

"Haha, of course" Demi laughed and got up. "Ready to go?"

Joe pouted at the two girls, "I am way out of your league, Miles."

Demi kissed her husband, "Yeah, yeah." She turned around and grabbed Miley's hand. "We'll be back later tonight. I'm thinking dinner here instead of at home."

Miley, then, felt herself being dragged out of the house before she could even reply back to Joe saying goodbye.

xoxo

Selena made her way through the restaurant looking for Taylor. She was running late since Nick kept her in bed for so long. Her eyes caught the curly blond hair girl sitting in the booth.

"Ahh, I am so sorry," she sat down in her seat. "Nick wanted me to stay longer in bed."

Taylor smirked, "I wonder what kept you so long."

Her comment made Selena blush. Yeah, they've had sex but her sex life was so private she couldn't help but get rosy at the thought of someone else commenting on it. "Oh shush," Selena replied.

Laughing, Taylor looked at the menu once more. "Oh, don't worry, I came late too."

Selena laughed before choosing what she wanted to eat for lunch. "So, Miley's back."

Taylor dropped her menu and looked at her best friend. "Miley? Miley. The one who just got up and left years ago? Miley, the one who dated Nick since they were like seven? That Miley?"

Selena rolled her eyes. "Yes Tay, that Miley."

The hint of sadness in Selena's eyes weren't at all hard to miss. Taylor could see this. Actually she should have known the moment Selena walked in. She couldn't fathom the idea of the girl who she could call her little sister being back in town. The more she thought of it, the more Taylor's face fell. How come she hadn't known? How come this was the first time she's heard about it and its coming from Selena, the girl who didn't even have a clue who Miley is.

Selena caught onto how Taylor was feeling at the moment. "Tay, she's been at her house. I don't think anyone knows that she's back. I believe only Joe and Demi knew and that was out of luck."

Taylor smiled slightly, "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Selena looked at her warmly. "I'm super hungry. Let's order so we can go shopping later."

"Haha, okay." Taylor's eyes fell back toward the menu again.

xoxo

"Where in the world are you dragging me," Miley moaned as the car pulled into the parking lot.

Demi rolled her eyes. It felt like that was all she had been doing since Miley stepped her foot into this town. "Can you please just suck up your drama queen attitude and enjoy this day for me," she turned to face Miley while turning the engine off.

Miley faked smile at her best friend, "Sure and we can totally have a tea party when pigs fly!"

"Ha-ha, so funny. Not," Demi spat. "We're going shopping; you know where you enter the mall, look at clothes and maybe, I don't know, try them on?"

"Really, is that what shopping is Demi?" Miley rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue.

"Let's just go," Demi growled.

Miley got out of the car and linked her arms with Demi. She got quiet for a moment and ponder whether or not she should say out loud what she was about to say next. "Thank you," she whispered, "you're the one person who can make this town worth living in."

Demi looked at her best friend and smiled, "I already knew that."

It had seemed like hours since Demi had convinced her to walk in the mall when really it had only been twenty minutes. They had walked into Nordstrom and everything went downhill from there. Well at least Miley thought so. Demi was having her try on a gazillion outfits every five minutes.

"This is cute. You have to try this on." Demi held the floral printed dress up. Miley sighed but had to admit, the dress was cute. She tugged her feet towards Demi and grabbed the dress then headed toward the nearest changing room.

Demi smiled and followed. She waited around, looking at racks of clothes that were nearby as Miley changed.

"Demi!"

She turned around to see who was calling her, only to come face to face with Selena. "Sel," Demi smiled.

"What are you doing here?" Selena asked. "Why didn't you pick up my call this morning? I was going to invite you to brunch with Taylor and me."

"Aw, my phone must have been on silent. I went grocery shopping this morning with Joe." Demi replied.

Selena nodded, "Oh speaking of Taylor, she should be around here."

"Demi, how do I look?" Miley stepped out the changing area.

Demi was about to shoot Miley an apologizing look but Selena was quicker than her. Selena smiled warmly at the young lady in front of her. Wow, she thought. Miley was even more gorgeous in person.

"Miley! Nice to meet you," She held her hand out.

Miley stood there stunned. She didn't know what to do. She wasn't expecting to meet Selena anytime soon. Truthfully, she was planning to avoid her as much as possible in this small town. She was just about to shake Selena's hand out of courtesy when she saw the tall blond girl walking their way.

"Taylor!" she screamed raising her hands up in the air. Miley slightly brushed Selena aside and hugged the blond girl. "How have you've been?"

"Good," Taylor laughed. "When were you going tell me you were back?"

The heat raised to her cheeks a little and Miley clapped her hand over her mouth. She let it down and replied, "Well I haven't exactly told anyone."

Feeling Selena's eyes down her back, Miley decided it was best to greet her again, a little more civilly. "Sorry about that. I'm Miley, but I'm sure you already knew that." She cocked her head back a little and laughed. "The whole town knows about me."

Demi shook her head at Miley's statement. It was true nothing could really escape the town's gossip. She saw Miley's eyes look up and down at the brunette and knew trouble was just around the corner.

Selena laughed and shook her head signaling that it wasn't a problem. "How's being back so far?"

"Oh just perfect, actually now it just got so much better" Miley spoke but more harshly than she had intended.

Demi pulled Miley closer to her as the smile on Selena's face was replaced with a frown and a scent of fear. "Look at the time, we should really pay for that dress you have on Miles and get home for dinner."

Miley faked another smile that day and waved at both Selena and Taylor before heading back into the dressing room to change.

"Could she not be more of a bit..." Selena started.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Demi raised her tone and shot an icy glance at Selena.

"Hey, don't attack her," Taylor piped up. "She's right, I know Miley and that Miley was just plain bitc..."

Demi held her fist tight. She was ready to slap the both of them but this wasn't the place. "I said, don't you dare call her that."

Taylor winced at the tone of Demi's voice and backed down. Selena attempted to clear up the tension, but Demi beat her to the punch.

"You don't know what's going on in her life okay? Yeah, she's different than the normal smiley Miley we all know, but she's also gone through a lot. That old Miley you remember, she's gone Taylor. She's been gone since four years ago." Demi tried to speak rationally.

Selena raised her hand up and looked at Demi, "Okay, sorry. We didn't mean to say anything bad about her."

Demi smiled lightly and nodded. "I know Sel. I know."

"Okay, I'm ready D." Miley walked out. She tried smiling at Selena and Taylor but her lips couldn't find the strength to curl up. "Nice meeting you, Selena. Bye Taylor."

"Bye guys, we'll grab lunch sometimes," Demi uttered hoping it would really clear the tension before they left.

Both Selena and Taylor nodded as they said their goodbyes.

As they walked out the mall, Demi just wanted nothing more but to go home and sleep. She sighed in her head at the thought of having to cook dinner. Miley walked silently next to the dark brunette holding onto her shopping bags.

"She's pretty," Miley let it roll out. "He did well, she's actually really pretty."

Demi looked at her and wrapped her arm around Miley. "She's really nice too."

Miley growled. "I thought you were supposed to be on my side."

"And I thought you were over Nick." Demi badgered as they reached her car.

She opened the trunk as Miley put her bags in. "I am over him. I never said I was coming back for him."

Demi looked at her uncertain, "then tell me, why you come back. You never really said anything about why you're here."

Miley sighed opening the car door and getting in, "long story," she replied. "And I don't really want to get into it."

xoxo

Selena turned the key and attempted to open the door with all the bags she was carrying.

"Whoa there," Nick had rushed to the door hearing her struggling. "How much did you buy?"

She shook her head and laugh, "don't ask, just help boyfriend."

He laughed along with her before grabbing a few bags out of her hands and bringing it to the bedroom. After putting down the bags he grabbed her and pulled her close as he sat down at the edge of the bed.

"So, I ran into Miley," Selena looked at him. "She's, she's a treat."

Nick chuckled before nodding. "That's Miley for you."

Selena looked at him disapprovingly before shaking her head. Who the hell is this Miley everyone keeps referring to, she thought. Was it the sassy and sarcastic person she met or some other unknown adjective that could be stuck next to her name?

"She was such a jerk," Selena decided to bring the conversation to a serious level, "with an attitude the size of Montana."

Nick frowned a bit. "I'm sure she didn't mean it. Miley could possibly be bipolar, one moment the sweetest girl ever and the next your worst nightmare."

He kissed her forehead, "She really is nice. Give her a chance."

Selena laughed. "Give her a chance? I don't think she even gave me one."

Nick kissed her lips this time, trying to change the subject or at least make it better. He pulled away, "she is an amazing person," he attempted again only to have Selena roll her eyes.

"I bet she is." Selena pushed him back on the bed, straddled her knees around his waist and kissed him.

xoxo

Miley found herself sitting in the porch after Demi and Joe had left. Dinner was wonderful. Of course, spending time with her two best friends was more than she could ever ask for. The street lamps shone brightly against the black pavement almost making them shiny. She stared up at the night sky and focused on the brightest star shining her way.

She closed her eyes and whispered to herself, "I wish you were here momma." She let the tear drop freely against her cheeks before opening her eyes.

"Talking to yourself?" Nick had appeared at the steps of her porch. "That was always a major problem you had."

She laughed sarcastically before focusing her dark blue eyes on him. "Why is it that you always just show up on my porch at night? This is the second time now that I'm back."

"I've always spent my time here at night remember?" Nick replied.

Miley bitterly laughed to herself, "Yeah? That was when you were welcomed."

Nick frowned but the light didn't hit his face enough for her to see it. He stood there awkwardly letting the silence linger in the air.

She wasn't all too keen on the awkward silence. She looked up at him once again, "So I met your girlfriend today."

Nick frowned once more. How in the world could this conversation possibly go right? Of course his intentions of coming here was to talk to the certain blue eyed brunette about being nice to the girl sleeping in his bed. But when it came down to it, he wanted to avoid this conversation at all cost.

"She's pretty." Miley spoke with sarcasm. "Nice to know you didn't lose your taste at all after I left."

"Well she pretty much thinks you're the town's biggest bitch that just walked in." Nick replied not letting his confidence fade. "Nice to know you haven't changed since you left either."

Miley click her tongue, she was trying to find a comeback but couldn't at all. Of course she knew her attitude was over the top and sometimes unnecessary. But none of them really understood the reason why she came back. Maybe it was more her fault for not really opening up to any of them about it.

Nick sighed, "I didn't mean that, Mi." he took a step forward.

"Again, with that nickname," Miley burst causing Nick to take step back. "We're not fucking 19 anymore Nick!"

"You don't think I know that?" Nick attacked back. "If you haven't noticed, I'm perfectly fine with the life I have right now in the present. I only came over to try to be friends because everyone here knows that you just can't be the bigger person."

Miley silenced herself. She held her head low for a minute before looking up into his brown eyes. She stood up deciding whether or not to step back into the house and once again slam the door in his face or let him in. She shook her head at herself and just wanted everything to disappear for once.

"Miley," Nick moved closer to her. "Where did you go? What happen to the Miley I fell in love with?"

She shook her head at him now. She made a laugh full of bitterness that even she couldn't control anymore. She looked at him more intently now. His brown eyes seem weary and a bit lost. And at that moment she lost it and ran inside slamming the door on him again.

**Review please :) Thanks for all the wonderful reviews I've received so far. 3 **

**Hope you enjoy this chapter. Bare with me, Miley is a little bit full of herself at the moment, but there is a reason. And Nick isn't always the good guy either. Yeah they're both really lame characters that you love to hate but hate to love. But I swear they're nice. Really nice. :) **


	3. Chapter 3

Nick shook his head. He stood therefore for a moment wondering if he should run after her. But then again, his thoughts ran towards what happen yesterday and he decided he better not.

He stepped down the steps heading away from the porch. He was midway to the end of the street when he heard the door open. He turned around only to dodge the CD heading his way.

"What happened to me, Nick?" She screamed as she threw the CD. "You, you and this fucking CD that I just happen to by every single time I see it."

Nick dodged another one as he stepped closer to her. Her tears were now stained forever along the freckles on her cheeks. He wanted to comfort her. He wanted to hold her in his arms again and tell her that everything was going to be okay. He didn't know if this was more for her sake or for his own.

Miley threw another at him. "You may not have gone big as a musician but this meant something to me." She held it up.

Of course it was the EP that he had done a few years back only to realize that music was too personal for him and had reminded him of too many memories that were just haunting. He was currently trying to take a break from it all. Yeah he had the tour and the meet and greets but his music was never so much more popular than the famous band with their faces currently plastered everywhere.

His thoughts filled up his mind making him almost forget that she was still throwing things. He dodged another one. How many EPs of his, did she have he thought.

"Every song I listen from this mess of a CD brings me back to us, to what went wrong. You said you love me. You told the whole fucking world how much you love me and how special I was. You told me every single time I play this, every single time your song is on the radio." She yelled as she threw the last CD in her hand.

Miley sobbed as she fell to her knees on the porch, wondering how in the hell did she get here, she had been in control so well. She looked up, "but you didn't love me, you never did and I wish you would have stopped lying and pretending before it had gotten to be too much."

He scoffed. He walked up to her and looked her straight in the eye. "We may not be together now or ever in the future, but I did love you." He grabbed the EP lying on the ground, "And this, this was a token of my love for you. So don't you dare say that my love for you wasn't real at all. If it wasn't, would the music speak to you? Would it speak to any one of the thousands who bought it?"

Nick shook his head staring at her. He laughed to himself, "I don't even know why I try." He turned around in frustration facing the lights that now seem to blind him. "You always seem to keep running. That was it Miley, I couldn't sit you down still enough to even tell you that I love you."

He stared at her for a moment before walking off towards his house. He didn't understand why he was here fighting with a woman who did her best to keep away when he could have been lying next to the girl that he was falling in love with.

Miley looked up at his figure walking away. She sighed as she tried wiping the tears away. She looked towards her left only to see Demi's house lights now turned on. It was close to midnight, she knew that. She sat there for some short minutes with her head down to her knees before realizing the space next to her being occupied.

Demi had gathered up the five or six CDs that Miley had thrown and sat beside her best friend. "You know, I was there when he recorded this." She spoke quietly. "He was so excited to be getting a record deal and somewhere so close to home. He wanted to prove himself to you."

She looked down almost smiling as she continued. "He had this ridiculous idea that you ran away because he didn't have a future in anything."

Miley shot her head up and turned to face Demi. Her eyes now filled with sorrow and despair at what she was about to hear next. She shook her face at Demi and returned it facing her lap.

"He broke down in the studio. He wrote songs that were even more personal that he didn't feel comfortable putting out there for the world to see." Demi spoke more intensely now. "And that's how he met Selena."

_Miley had just made herself at home in LA for the past six months. The company back at Dallas that gave her the internship had recommended her to the company she currently worked at in LA. Just to make up for everything that had happened to her. She sat down at her bed sighing quietly to herself. This apartment she lived in had been awfully quiet for her taste. _

_She stared at the picture on the nightstand next to her. The image of his face imprinted in her memory. She took her cell phone and scrolled down to the number she had wanted. She didn't know if she had it in her to call him. _

_Yeah, they were trying to make their relationship work long-distance but it just eventually got harder. She shut the phone and shook her head. He hadn't called her recently in the past two days. But then again, she bit her lip and swallowed her pride and pressed called. _

"_Hello," his silky voice drowned her ears. It was late in LA so she knew it was late in Dallas. _

"_Hi," she whispered smiling shyly. _

"_Hi baby," he smiled big as if she could see through the phone. "How is LA?" _

_She sighed, "Tiring. These longs hours for this fashion company are just taking a toll on me." _

_He was quiet for a moment, almost hesitating as he spoke his next words. "Take vacation and come home." _

_Miley looked at the wall in front of her, knowing that she couldn't take a break. She didn't even know if she ever wanted to go back or return at all after what had happened. Miley wanted to tell him that the town located in the middle of Dallas was not her home anymore but she didn't want to fight about this again with him so she replied, "I'll see what I can do Nick." _

_He knew that she was getting frustrated, so he didn't press on. He had just missed her so much. He had been up writing songs as his method of releasing all the emotions he bottled up since she left. Nick thought about the offer that was made to him at the airport months ago when he chased after Miley. He still didn't know if he wanted to take it or not, after all Selena had found him again in Dallas this morning and offered it to him again. _

"_Baby, it's getting late and I know you have a busy day tomorrow so I'll let you sleep," he yawned. _

"_Good night," she sighed and hung up. _

_Nick couldn't sleep so he spent his energy writing songs. Demi had fallen asleep on his bed after having a terrible fight with Joe but it was nothing that couldn't be fixed. He strummed his guitar singing the lyrics he had written down. _

_Demi opened her eyes and stared at him. She smiled, "That's really beautiful Nick." She sat herself up on the bed as he stopped to smile at her and then continued playing._

_She listened carefully at each word chosen and each note played. "You must really love her..." _

_The guitar stopped playing as Nick pondered on the statement. He looked at Demi, "You and Joe are happy right? I mean I know you guys fight, but you guys are happy being married right?" _

"_He's a pain in the ass, I'm not going to lie, but I love him. He makes me happy even if I have to come here for a bed to sleep for the night," she chuckled, "and being married to him might have been one of the best decisions in my life." _

_Nick nodded and smiled at her before continuing his song writing and letting her go back to sleep. He thought about what Demi had said and knew in his heart what he should do next. _

_Demi woke up only to find the house empty and a note, _

_Gone to LA, I'm going to see her and tell her how much I love her. See you in a week Demi. _

–_Nick _

_She put down the note, shook her head but smiled as she headed to the restroom. She was going to freshen up and talk to that annoying husband of hers. _

_Miley woken up, she quickly turned to the clock. It was 7 in the morning she had a couple hours before she had to head to work. The smell of breakfast hit her face and she turned to find a plate of eggs and toast on a tray besides her. _

_She looked around wondering where in the hell did this appear from. Her eyes stopped at the doorway only to find Nick standing there. _

"_Hello beautiful? How's it going, I hear it's wonderful in California." He smiled. _

_It took her a minute to recover and she shrieked, "Nick!" she threw off the comforter and jumped into his arms. _

_They had spent the rest of the morning eating breakfast and catching up before she had to work. She was getting dressed as he sat there, "I made dinner reservations will you be able to come?" he asked. _

_Miley smiled and nodded her head as she put on the heels and kissed him before heading out of her apartment. _

_Nick looked at his watch as he sat there alone at the table in the restaurant. She was twenty minutes late. He sighed and took another gulp of the wine in front of him. _

_Miley rushed through traffic and ran towards the restaurant. She had never been this late before and she felt so bad. Her phone rang before she could enter the restaurant. It was her boss. Miley picked up the call and regretted it. She looked inside the restaurant and saw him sitting there she sighed and ran out back to the company to work longer hours. She told herself she would call him when she got there. _

_But she hadn't, she didn't have to time to and once she got back to her apartment, she knew she was too late. _

_She sunk down on the chair by the table as she gripped the note in her hands. Miley began sobbing and was unable to see through the wet tears that now drowned her blue eyes. _

_Miley, _

_I don't think I can do this anymore. I'm sorry. _

_Nick. _

_He held the box in his hands as he sat on the plane. He opened it up and stared at the diamond. He sighed and closed it again and looked out the windows. "Bye, Mi," the tears formed at the corner of his eyes. _

Miley cried harder this time in Demi's arms. She had known what happened that night, she now pieced everything together. Nick had flown back to Dallas that night and found Selena to take up on the offer of being able to record a CD.

"At first, he didn't tell anyone about the offer and he wasn't all that quick to say that he accepted," Demi held onto Miley as she cried. "This..." Demi shook the CD in front of Miley's eyes, "...was his baby, the one thing he handled with more care than anything in world, well besides you."

"You don't understand, Demi." Miley pulled her head up and looked at her best friend through the tears. "You just don't understand."

Demi shook her head. "Of course Miles!" she wanted to scream but controlled her tone instead. "I would never understand if you don't let me in those damn walls of yours."

Miley wanted to speak up but couldn't find the words and Demi cut her off. "That cage you have around your heart, M. That cage is going to cost you to lose everyone who ever loved you." Demi looked at her once more, "And the first one to go was Nick."

Demi stood up, handed Miley the stack of CDs. "I'm your best friend, me Miley. What don't you get about best friends?" She shook her head and began to walk away. "Call me when the real Miley is back."

"What is the deal with everyone wanting the REAL Miley back?" Miley exploded. "Real Miley this, real Miley that!" she wanted to pull her hairs out. She wanted to scream. She wanted to strangle someone. "I'm back. I'm back in this town, the very same town that spread all those nasty rumors about me at 19 years old."

Demi winced at the thought of those rumors. It had been a while and ever since Miley left, the town simmered down on all of the lies and miscommunication. Of course, she wasn't so happy how the whole deal came about.

"Everyone here thought I was a slut!" Miley screamed. "For goodness sake Demi, I've only had one boyfriend in this whole town."

"M," Demi started. "Everyone knows the truth now."

Miley shook her head. It wasn't the same; nothing here was ever the same for her. "It doesn't make a difference. How could someone spread vicious lies about me just because I refuse to do anything sexual with him for a job? It wasn't fair."

"It still isn't fair." Miley sunk back down. "I lost myself, I know that Demi, but it's so hard to find me in this body. I'm real. Everything I've gone through makes me real. Even if it makes me bitter"

Demi sat back down next to her and wrapped her arms around the petite girl now crying her eyes out.

"And worse of all, I lost everything. I lost the one man I fell in love with. I lost the ability to look my family in the eye after all they had heard. I lost four years to spend with my mom before she lost her battle to cancer." Miley sobbed even more. "And I can't take any of it back."

Demi rubbed circles on her back trying to soothe her from crying so hard. Miley lifted her head out of the embrace and wiped away her tears. The two young ladies sat there next to each other as they stared up in the night sky.

Miley sighed and broke the silence that had engulfed them for the past ten minutes. "I pushed him away, D."

Demi nodded. That was all she knew how to respond, both Nick and Miley never told anyone about what had happened. All she knew was that four years ago, Miley left to LA. Six months later, Nick comes back five days earlier from his visit then expected to lock himself up in his house writing the pain away. Another week or so later, Nick was in the recording studio and Miley was still in LA not talking to each other.

xoxo

Nick hadn't walked inside his house yet. He couldn't find the reason to at the moment. His heart was fighting whether or not to go back and just hold Miley and make it better. He sat himself on the front steps of the porch. He was about to head in but a figure caught his eye and he had seen Demi in her pajamas and all walking over to Miley.

He wanted to know what they were talking about. He wanted to be Demi at that moment. How was it fair for her to let Demi in but not him? Especially since they've known each other since they were five and she had just met Demi about 10 years ago when Demi moved next door to her. He sighed, he just wanted to rewind the years and see what he could have done to fix everything.

He stood up now deciding that he should just head to bed when he heard Miley scream, _"What's the deal with everyone wanting the real Miley back? Real Miley this, real Miley that. I'm back. I'm back in this town, the very same town that spread all those nasty rumors about me at 19."_

Nick's heart slumped. His heart ached at the thought of those rumors. His mind went back to those memories both him and Miley wished to disappear. Miley had gotten the internship she wanted since high school, the very same internship that could launch her into the fashion world. It wasn't until a few weeks in when things went downhill for her. Nick thought back and rolled his hands into a fist. He wanted to punch the guy, the very one who had sexually harassed his girlfriend. _Ex-girlfriend_, he made a mental note.

He got so lost in his thoughts that he couldn't hear Miley anymore from down the neighborhood. He figured, Demi had gotten her to calm down and to bed. Nick walked inside the house and looked at the clock; it was close to 2 am.

Crawling into the sheets, he felt Selena turn her body and wrapped her arm around him. He had hope that he didn't wake her up, but he knew he had.

Selena muttered tiredly, "Where were you?"

Nick kissed her on the temple and replied, "I just needed some air, go back to sleep Sel."

She smiled as his touch and mumbled something before knocking out once more.

**Hi, okay thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. I am really glad you guys are liking the story. I know it's kind of going slow, but I'm trying to get as much background you guys need to know as the story unfolds. The interesting and fun stuff are coming up sooon! I promise. :) If you guys happen to have any questions, please ask away. I don't mind answering anything. The next chapter will probably take a while to come out. I'm currently studying for finals and I have like a fifth of it written so far. **

**xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi lovely readers, sorry for the delay! Had a short period of not knowing where to take this story next, but I hope you like the chapter. It's kind of a filler but also bringing more information of Miley's past and yesss she's still bitter, but I swear she's gonna go uphill from here. **

**Please review, I would really love it because then I have motivation to continue haha. Loveee ya'll! **

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Miley stirs a little bit and opens her eyes to the sound of voices. Her eyes roam across the room and she thinks to herself how did she get here. She hadn't slept in this room for one reason. It held too many memories. Her thoughts are jagged and interrupted when she hears Joe speak.

"Where are you going?" Joe asked as Demi walked towards the closet. She opened it and her heart sank, he knew that and he didn't want to lie but his did also.

_Nick + Miley=Forever_

Demi fingered the carved letters as Joe walked over. "It's still here," she whispered, "Forever..."

"Seems like it was so long ago," Joe sighed.

Demi just nodded as she brought her hand down. "Let's go before we wake her up."

Joe walked over to Miley and kissed her temple before walking out the door with Demi and back to their house.

Miley pretended to close her eyes as she felt Joe embrace on her skin. She heard the front door shut and she opened her eyes. She got out of bed and walked to the carving.

She stood there remembering the day they did this like it was just yesterday.

_"I'll race you home," the 17 year old Nick whispered into his girlfriend's ear. _

_She shook her head out of laughter and turned to kiss her boyfriend. Miley made sure it was a kiss he wouldn't forget before breaking away and heading into a sprint. _

_Nick stood there speechless before realizing what she had done. "Hey, that was totally cheating!" He ran after her. _

_She laughed and whipped her head around, "Losers weepers!" _

_He caught up to her just as they appeared in front of her house. Nick lunged forward and grabbed Miley but losing his balance he had dragged both of them down onto the grass in front of her house. _

_"Nick!" she shrieked as she felt her body fall down. Somehow he had managed to screw up the competition and get her on top of him. "Someone doesn't like being a sore loser." _

_Miley laughs in his face as he holds her tight in their position. "I just happen to like this better," Nick reasoned with her. _

_"Sure, sure," her laugh becomes infectious and there he starts laughing as she stands up with her hands held out. He grabbed on and help pulled himself up. They walk inside her house and his hand never leaves hers and they intertwine. _

_"Mom, I'm home!" Miley yells and runs up the stairs dragging Nick behind her. "Nick's with me!" _

_Miley lets go as they enter her bedroom. She walks over to her closet grabbing a change of clothes when she feels his arms snake around her waist. _

_She gently stares down at his arm and smiles to herself. Only he could do this to her, she thought. There she stood in his arms feeling like the most important girl in the world. She laughed in her head at the thought of this. The world was so big, how could she be so important. _

_He turns her around wanting to get a good look at her face. He stares at her for what may seem like minutes. It's her face that he wants to remember. It's that image that he wants engrained in the back of his head. _

_The discomfort starts to build as she felt the intensity of his eyes on her skin, on every blemish it wore. She wants to step back, step out of his arms but he smiles at her. And like that she couldn't move. _

_His laughter fills her ears and she smiles not knowing how they got here but his hands are taking control of the knife. _

_Lines are being carved and she stares at his piece of work in wonder. She wants to shake her head and not believe in the message underlying the movements of the knife. But because he's doing it, she doesn't think she can deny it. _

_In her head she knows that she was never one for love and commitment. In her heart she knew that if her life were to ever head that way, it would be a bumpy road. But one look into his eyes and Miley knew that only he could do this to her. _

_Only he could make her believe in forever, she thought as he carved the very same word onto her door. _

The letters stared there mocking her. She laughs as if it's the one that is making her bitter every second.

She hadn't forgotten the reason that brought her back to this town. The only reason that made her packed her bags and jumped on a plane that late midnight. And yet, it was the very reason that continued to haunt her.

Miley was lying silently on her bed that morning after hearing the front door close and her thoughts had jumbled itself working her mind into overdrive. She knew she had to face what brought her here but she didn't know how to tell anyone or how to even go about it.

But she knew one thing was on her mind for sure, Nick and the words they had carved.

Nick, Nick and all his memories that she fought so hard to forget after that night he left her in California.

And the tears she had sworn to herself wasn't there became evident against her cheeks. She had never felt so lonely before in a town that had known her all her life. It was difficult having to adjust to what the town had did to her when she had always took it as a safe haven as a child.

She sat up again and stared at the closet door Demi and Joe had left opened.

"The very least they could have done was closed the damn thing," she voiced resentfully to herself and fell back against the bed again.

xxx

Taylor parked her car in front of the house wondering if she should walk in. She didn't know her place anymore as the years went by and as the phone calls became less frequent, the more sadden she was. The house didn't look any different as it had whenever she drove by it to visit Selena or possibly have a chat with Demi. However, the vibe of the place had changed and it was constantly changing.

She sighed to herself and got out of her car making sure to lock it. "I have nothing to lose from this," she spoke to herself trying to reason with everything. But she had known in her heart that she had only lost one thing from this: the girl she had known since they were in diapers.

It wasn't as if Miley didn't hear her come in, because she pretty much knew who had walked in the house when the boots hit the wooden floor. Miley had gotten out of bed ten minutes earlier and was trying to occupy herself with little details of the house.

"Miles?" she heard the southern twange.

"In the backyard Tay," Miley let out as loud as she could in order for the blonde to hear from the front door.

Taylor hadn't been in this house for the last several months. She had visited Miley's mom quite frequently within the last months of her cancer treatment but ever since then, she had feared what was left in this house. Her eyes roamed across the pictures that were still hung up of the family and friends such as Demi, Joe, and even herself.

"Hey," Taylor spoke softly the moment her foot stepped out the glass door. She hadn't known what to say and she certainly didn't know now.

Miley looked up at her and attempted a genuine smile but failed to even twitch her lip. They sat next to each other facing the pool for quite some time before the silence was broken.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?" Taylor decided to be straightforward since Miley was brutally honest herself. "I had to find out from Sel when I've known you all my life."

Miley choked back her tart laugh at the mention of Selena but knew she had to explain herself. Taylor had been like a sister to her and through all the drama she was the only one that kept in touch with Miley for a few years after she left besides Demi. It wasn't Taylor that stopped the communication and she knew that.

She attempted to smile once more, "I didn't really tell anyone Tay."

"Oh, please don't give me that bullshit, I know you told Demi," Taylor had rebuttal.

And Miley smiled to herself at the comfort of Taylor's ability to always tell her how it is and not cut her any slack.

"We stopped talking," Miley defended herself. "I had only told Demi because she kept calling after the funeral."

Taylor scoffed, "You stopped trying Miles and you had cut all communications with me three years back!"

Before Miley could respond, Taylor stood up. "So don't go trying to act like it's my fault Miles. I don't even know what is sadder, not knowing who you are anymore or wondering where the hell you went."

"Taylor..."

"No, don't Taylor me! We're practically family, you're mom practically raised me Miles!"

Miley looked quietly at the blonde who was now yelling and knew that somewhere along the lines of her life she had taken the wrong turn and ran away from everyone who meant something to her. "Taylor..." she tried again. "I know. I get it, okay? I've turned into this ass of a bitch that everyone doesn't love. And I'm sorry, but it just got too hard."

Miley began crying and it was something she fought so hard not to do in front of Taylor. "It was just too hard talking to you. I had found out my mom was diagnosed with cancer and I had alienated myself from everyone to even come back to be there for her. And talking to you reminded me of the guilt I felt every single day for not being by her side at the hospital. Talking to you now still reminds me of that guilt and it was just too hard."

Taylor's face had softened at the brunette's revelation. She sat down next to Miley once more and pulled her in for a hug, feeling the burning tears against her chest.

"It was just too hard, Tay." Miley repeated.

xxx

It was about mid afternoon now and Demi had consciously peered over to the yellow house every chance she got. To say she was worried was an understatement. She had love this girl too death and seeing the pain Miley suffered just torn her apart.

Joe had gone to work with Nick at the recording studio Selena was in charge of. He wasn't the musician like Nick was, but he knew how to produce and Selena had offered him a job after he had insisted on helping Nick with his EP a few years back.

Demi had seen Taylor walked in the house a few hours ago and now as she glance over once more the blonde's car had driven away and Miley was standing still at the front porch.

She wanted to walk over and hold her like a best friend should, but she knew that if she should check herself from smothering the poor girl. So she went back to sketching on the canvas in the living room. She was an artist, a drawer, a painter, anything creative she had put on a paper made her successful in this small town.

"Demi!" the door open and Miley rushed in. This had been the first time Miley came to her instead of the other way around and for that she was grateful.

Miley was about to open her mouth but glanced at the canvas and was intrigued. "Demi, omgsh! This sketch is beautiful!"

"Why thank you best friend even if you are forced to say that," Demi laughed. She hadn't had this Miley in awhile and wondered what Taylor had done.

"Oh please!" Miley playfully tapped Demi's arm. "Now, I'm starting to understand why everyone wants a piece of art from you!"

Demi laughed. Now Miley was brought back to the reason she had ran across the street just a few minutes ago. Her face had become sullen and her eyes didn't twinkle and no one would have ever known of the bit of happiness she had exulted seconds before.

"What..." Demi started to worry again.

Miley grabbed her hand and dragged Demi out the door, grabbing the keys along the way leaving the pencil next to an image of a girl who resembled a little bit of the bitter brunette.


	5. Chapter 5

"Miley! Where in the world are you taking me?" Demi managed to breathe out as she entered her car. Miley had already thrown the keys into ignition and began pulling out of the driveway but she remained silent focusing on getting where she needed to be.

Demi had known the determined look on her face and decided to not press on the matter any further instead kept her eyes on the scenery they were passing before she recognized where they we're heading. It was the same split tree heading towards the cemetery and her thoughts raced back to the funeral.

_"Joe!" Demi screamed from the bedroom, "Joe!" _

_Catching his breath, Joe entered disheveled for a minute, "What Demi?" _

_"She said she's not coming Joe, she said she isn't flying over here." _

_Joe's face fell, it wasn't like Miley to miss something this important because for as a long as he had known her, her relationship with her mother was stronger than gravity itself. He has to pull it through since the tears were now staining his wife's black dress. _

_"Demi," he sat next to her, "It's her decision, she has to make it her choice and you can't do anything about that." _

_Demi sobbed louder as Joe pulled her close. "Joe, it's her mother. It's her mother! The woman who practically raised all of us in that living room, so how in the hell can she not be here!" _

_He hadn't known what to say because all he knew in his mind was the Miley they had always known was no longer there and that times were changing meaning they were losing those they love and gaining people who they'll fall in love with. He knew in his head that Demi had thought the same, that this was the last straw to the whole facade Miley had made for herself in LA. _

_"Shhh baby," Joe rocked her body against his. "Look the funeral is going to start in an hour and Nick is coming to pick us up along with Selena. We'll mourn enough for the both of us and her because that's what we're supposed to do. At least for the Miley we thought we knew." _

_Demi shook her head slightly before nodding and leaned in to kiss him before fixing her make-up in front of the mirror. _

Her thoughts were disrupted when she heard the car motion to park. She stared at the grass and the trees in the gated field before looking at her best friend.

Miley's eyes were now red and brimmed with wetness. Demi had guessed somewhere along the ride and silence, the tears ran down quietly. Miley let go of the wheel and sobbed deeper in her hands.

"You know I regret that day so much," Miley sobbed "Not being here, not seeing her one last time and just throwing away everything we had built up together."

Demi moved closer and hugged her best friend in between the driver and front seats. "Shh, baby" she whispered the same words she had remembered Joe telling her that morning of the funeral. "Your momma loves you and you know that. She forgives you, she always will. Remember that one year during senior year when we sneaked out that night because we had always wanted to just run down the streets in our underwear?"

Miley let out a small giggle as she nodded.

"And how the police caught us before we even had a chance to strip down," Demi continued.

"And Joe and Nick were there too because they just wanted to tag along," Miley added letting herself remember the wonder years.

Demi nodded smiling, "And the look on your mom's face when she had open the door at 2 in the morning? That look that could kill, I swear if there is one thing she gave you it's those killer stares. We were sitting on the couch and your mom re-entered after talking to the police officer and you were hiding behind Nick because you knew your mom would kick your ass for doing what you did."

"But instead she laughed and told us how idiotic we were for wanting to run down the streets in our underwear." Miley's eyes lit up the minute she let those thoughts out.

Demi laughed, "And then continued to let us run around your pool in our underwear and taking pictures of us!"

"Not before she kicked out Nick and Joe!" Miley laughed with her best friend also.

"See, babe." Demi spoke in a lower octave, "Your momma love you beyond words and you know she would forgive you beyond her grave."

Miley looked down upon her hands again, "I remember calling you that day and the hesitation and hurt in your voice. Demi, it still cuts me like a knife remembering that conversation."

Demi remain silent again not knowing what to say.

"I flew back here the week after she was buried," Miley confessed. "I didn't want to see anyone and I didn't want to deal with Braison or my dad either. I had walked up that hill there with sunflowers because they were always our favorite together. I had cried my eyes out talking to her, apologizing to her, trying to just hear her voice again."

Demi reached her hand to comfort her as she continued. "And I remember just sitting there wondering what in the hell happen to my life. You know, Nick had seen me that day just sprawled all over my mom's grave with my tears soaking the grass. He doesn't know I saw him behind the tree and I don't know why he didn't confront me."

"Come on, let's go talk to your mom," Demi suggested trying to lighten the mood. "We can talk about how terrible Nick is to you, you know how she always loved you coming to her about Nick."

Miley smiled before frowning a little bit, "except this time he isn't mine."

xxx

Nick stared into the booth at the recording studio.

"You know, you could make another album," Selena spoke behind him.

He shook his head slightly but had a smile on his face that Selena couldn't see. "I know its part of my contract, but I haven't had the motivation to pick this up again."

Selena wrapped her arms around him and sighed into his back. "I know, but we can't keep them waiting forever baby. Okay, I have to get back to the office. I'm coming home a tad bit late, see you tonight?"

Nick nodded before giving her a kiss goodbye.

"Motivation?" Joe questioned standing near the doorway.

"How much did you hear?" Nick grumbled staring at his brother.

"Enough to know why you haven't the drive to write songs," Joe concluded. "And I know just the perfect motivation to come along."

Nick shook his head, "You know me and Miley are nothing anymore right? There is nothing, she has made that clear since the day she moved back."

Joe laughed, "Who said I meant Miley, but now that I think about it another album with songs written for Miley is just another great selling album for your career."

"Joe!" Nick scorned knowing he didn't have a comeback. "Selena is my girlfriend now."

"Then where are her love songs?" Joe teased.

And then there was silence among the two in the room. It was something Nick had dread when a conversation about Miley came up because it was hard. It was hard to pretend not to feel anything deep inside since she was his first love.

Joe snapped his fingers in front of him, "Nick, I was just teasing you. I know nothing is going on between you and Miley, but you can't deny that there will always be something that keeps you two connected."

Nick nodded unconsciously. "I know, she's Miley and I'm Nick. There will always be something, but we didn't work and I have accepted that fact four years ago."

All Joe could do was nod, of course everything had change and everyone knew that with the exception of Selena since she wasn't here to witness the history of the town and the two lovers.

"I'm gonna head back home to Demi, she's probably almost done preparing for dinner. Do you wanna come for dinner?" Joe looked over to Nick.

He stared at his watch and remembered Selena wasn't going to be home in time for dinner and there was no point in eating by himself, "sure, let's go."

Joe wrapped his arm around Nick's neck, "Come on bro, there's nothing like a home cook meal."

xxx

Demi had taken control of her car on the drive home as Miley slept soundly at the passenger seat. She didn't know what had happen but she understood that the Miley everyone had always known to love was slowly coming back. And for that, she was grateful.

She had pulled in the driveway when she realized Joe was home from the recording studio and Miley drowsily open her eyes.

"We're home already?" Miley yawned.

Demi nodded as they both close their car doors. "And by the looks of it, Joe is home too."

Miley was just about to walk off to the opposite side of the street to her house but Demi had beat her to it. "Stay for dinner, I'm going to be making Italian and I know you love Italian food plus Joe won't mind."

Too tired to say no, Miley just nodded and followed Demi back into her house.

"Joe!" Demi projected as she open the door. "I'm home!"

"I was wondering where you were," Joe walked towards the front door. "Oh Miley is eating dinner with us too? Good, because I invited Nick also!"

Demi silently smacked herself on the forehead and reminded herself to beat up Joe silly later. She gave an apologizing look to Miley as they walked towards the kitchen. Miley shook her head and whispered, "It's okay, don't worry."

"Where is that curly-head mess of a brother in law" Demi joked.

"I heard that!" Nick responded as he entered the kitchen after Joe. "And that's mean, I'm the best brother in law you could possibly have ever!"

Miley couldn't help but laugh to herself at the conversation. It was just like Nick to say something like that she thought.

"Oh and hi Miles," Nick spoke politely hoping she didn't mind another nickname.

Miles, she thought again with the nickname. That was just him also to use nicknames like they're nothing. She could sneer at him in the moment but she knew there wasn't really a point to that anymore and decided to smile at his remark.

"Okay, Miles will help me with dinner. Sorry best friend!" Demi glanced over at her while rushing the boys into the living room. "And you guys will watch some T.V or do whatever."

Half an hour later and with grace being said, the four of them found themselves at the table digging in.

xxx

She wished things were different. She wanted to stare at the stars long enough until her wishes came true. Miley stood silently on Demi's porch wishing and waiting until she felt ready to head back to her house. She didn't know why she was waiting until her heart string pulled a little at the sound of his voice.

"Thanks for dinner again Dem," Nick spoke as he headed out the door. "Don't worry I'll make sure she gets across the street safely."

Miley could imagine his face as he laughed out that statement.

"I'm guessing you want to walk by yourself," her thoughts stopped as she heard his voice next to her. "Since, we're still in this whole..."

"Let's go," Miley decided she didn't really want to listen to him finish that sentence and grabbed his arm heading down the streets towards her house.

The silence engulfed them as Nick realized she still held on to his arm, _like old times_ he remembered. The stars were shining brightly in Texas tonight and the trees kept up with the fall weather.

They remained this way until they reached the end of her house. It was awkward and Miley didn't know whether to just walk into her house or thank him for walking her home. Both of them didn't know how to end this night.

She held her gaze down at the sidewalk before deciding she was too tired to think and lifted her head up to finally look in his brown orbs.

"Miles," Nick started but was soon interrupted when she moved in and kissed his cheek.

"Good night Nick" she said as she turned around and walked into her house.

He stood there stunned a little bit before recomposing himself. "Why didn't you show up?" his thoughts rushed out of his mouth as the many questions he always longed for an answer reappeared this night. "Why didn't you show up to dinner that night? I waited for you for hours and I still don't understand why you didn't show up."

Miley stopped in her tracks standing there with her back in front of him for what seems like forever as she heard him. She didn't want to turn around not now, not then, and not ever.

"And then you stopped talking to me, stopped talking to everyone besides your mom. Why?" he continued knowing he should damn well stop. "I didn't see you again until that day..." he thought back to the image of her crying in front of the grave. "...in the cemetery, of all the places to see you again. I saw you in the fucking cemetery."

Miley turned around now with tears falling down. Nick stared into her brightly lit face by the moon and regretted talking now. He couldn't stand seeing her cry back then and just because they weren't together meant he could stand it now. He walked up to her with full intentions of just holding her like he used to, of just hearing her heart beat against his like he used to five years ago.

"Mi," he started towards her, "I didn't mean to make you cry," and now found his arms around her. "Don't cry, please."

And at those words, Miley completely broke down again for the fifth time that day. Sobbing for half an hour in his arms, Miley realized what they were doing and pulled away.

"Nick," she stared at him, "You have a girlfriend," and walked back into her house closing the door on him once again.

* * *

**review please! :) I hope you guys like this chapter! Thanks for reading. love love love. **


	6. Chapter 6

Nick stood in his place as he saw the door slammed for what seem like the umpteenth time since he had saw her and honestly, he was growing tired of it. He didn't like it when she slammed the door on him so many years ago so what made her think he would like it now. He let out a sigh, a long sigh that meant he was lost. Nick didn't know how to feel anymore, he had lost control. And he hated her for that.

His will found themselves again as his feet made a counterclockwise turn towards his house, but then stopped when he saw the black car parked across the street. And he sighed again as if he could never run out of breath. To whither there and die was his first thought, to run away was his second, and damn was his third as he walked towards the car. The closer he got, the more her face became pronounced. The more his feet walked, the more he could see the tears stained across her cheek. And he stood in front of her driver door, his eyes staring slightly at the brunette girl through the opening as she had let the window rolled down midway.

"Sel," he breathed out not knowing where to start. One girl in his life crying was already enough but to see another he was just lost. Lost, afraid and uncertain.

She sobbed shaking her head as if to tell him this was it. But she knew, she knew she was far into it that she would have come tumbling head first to just let it be it at that moment. Selena held her face towards his and stared into his brown orbs as her tears just keep falling. She wanted him to see it, to see the pain that he had just inflicted at that moment in front of her.

Nick wanted to tear his eyes away, but he couldn't and he shouldn't because he knew, he knew he had to own up to this. For her sake at least because he knew that he loves her. His hand reached the door handle and after opening it he knelt down to her level and kept his gaze onto hers.

"Sel," he stated again. "How much did you hear?" But he knew she had heard it all.

Selena cracked and shook her head at him once again. "I knew she was going to be trouble!" she sobbed.

"Sel," as if it never gets old. "She may have left me, but I still care about her. I still care whether or not she is hurt of suffering from being back here." Nick started. "And to be honest, just because I still care doesn't mean I have feelings for her," he shifted uncomfortably as if he wasn't too sure himself but exerted the 'to be honest' as if to console his girlfriend crying in front of him.

"Nick, I saw you. I heard what you said to her and I saw the way she looked at you." Selena managed in between the sobs. "I can't," she began but he knew where she was going to end.

As if it was his last chance to keep the girl he had held onto for so long since everything just went downhill, he lingered over her and pulled her in for a kiss. It was slow and then it got hungry as they devoured each other.

He pulled away for a second but kept his forehead onto hers, "I love you, I have and I will today and tomorrow and for as long as I can," he massaged her lips with his once more. "And nothing is going to change that."

He hoped. _Damn he better hoped. _

Selena nodded against his face and pulled him in once more for another kiss. Nick continued kissing her like it was his only way to keep her. He pulled away and planted kisses along her neck covering every inch of her skin as he made his way down towards her breasts emitting a moan from her lips. She shook her head as if to tell him not here.

And Miley stood at her steps staring as Nick pulled away from Selena and walked around to the passenger side. She saw as he cocked his head in every direction but hers. She slinked down slowly onto her steps as the car engine purred and the lights disappeared a few houses down.

She didn't know whether the tears falling down were because of the chaos that is her life or because of what she had just witnessed but all she knew was that she wanted the darkness to engulf her forever.

xx

The sun began blaring through the house as Miley sat at her kitchen. She had seen enough of this town the past few days. She had felt enough of her past life (still her life today). Miley had thought long and hard sitting at the island of her kitchen since last night and knew what she had to do. Well she knew her choices. Either she started finding herself again in this town and making new memories with her old friends like her mother had wanted or run away and once again disappointed her mother.

She felt the tears building up as she thought of her mother. No one knew the letter she was given from her mother's will. She hadn't told anyone of her mother's wishes. The wishes that were still imprinted in her mind as if she didn't need to piece of paper anymore but it was the last thing that connected her to her mother and she kept it safe and hidden among the boxes underneath her bed and it went as followed:

_My dearest Miley, _

_I know baby this is hard to read and I know that the tears are falling down your precious cheeks right now. I wish they weren't honey, I wish you wouldn't have left me like that and I wish any lasting memory of me would revolve around regrets for you, baby. Don't be sad and don't regret anything because I know Miley. I know how hurt you were enough to leave and I understand honey. I understand that life just carried you away from me and I can't blame it. Just know that I love you and I will always love you no matter what. You will be my daughter from the moment you were born to the day that you leave this planet. You will be my daughter through the good times and the bad times with each other and without. I know you can't be here by my side but that hasn't stopped all your wonderful friends from visiting and taking care of me. Taylor comes at least every morning and Demi has managed to see me every afternoon. And Nick, oh Nick baby, I know you don't like hearing about him but he's been there every night even when I tell him he should be with that girlfriend of his but you know me I always thought you guys belong together. Miley I only ask for you to come back when I'm gone and let these wonderful people back into your life. They all miss you and I want to repay them for all they've done. I've found a warehouse honey and I bought it under your name for your fashion career because you and I both know that being a stylist isn't where you belong but designing clothes. So please baby, come back and take charge of that dream here and let love back into your life. Don't miss me too much baby, cause I'm always with you where ever you are. _

_Lots of love and joy, Mom. _

Miley smiled at the mention of Nick in her mom's letter before it faltered as she realize she couldn't do anything at all to please her mom. She had failed the moment she stepped foot into this town. Miley hadn't even seen the warehouse that her mom bought her for one fear only, the idea that she wouldn't be an amazing fashion designer and she was already tired of failure. And she wasn't at all nice to her old friends. She knew the only person that needed change in this town was her and she was determined not to fail her mom again.

She stared around her kitchen once again as the sun set high in the sky. Today was going to be different and she knew just who she wanted to share it with. Miley rushed up the stairs into her room going through her closet before she walked out of the bathroom in a pair of black skinny jeans and a loose, white top paired with gold heels. She took one last look at herself in the mirror before heading downstairs. Grabbing the keys along the way, Miley slammed the door shut and pulled her cell phone out. Dialing the number, Miley patiently opened her car door and sat in her seat waiting for an answer.

"Hello?" she managed when she heard a click from the other side. "Meet me near the coffee shop in like five minutes okay?" she waited for an answer. "I don't care what you're doing, just drop it and meet me please!" her tone seemed urgent. "Okay good, see you soon. Yes love you too."

Her fingers turned the key and started the ignition; she checked her mirrors and smiled to herself as she pulled out of the driveway.

Humming along with the radio, Miley pulled into the small parking lot next to the coffee shop. She knew she was going to be here first so she got out of the car and walked into the shop ready to order her favorite.

Miley sipped the vanilla bean coffee as she sat near the window waiting silently and not paying attention to everyone around her. Of course no one recognized her, she figured her friends had stopped coming since she left because she was the only one to like this place.

Joe locked his car and walked towards the coffee shop he had come to so often, he didn't tell anyone though, but he loved this place cause it reminded him so much of his best friend. He saw her staring aimlessly and knew she wasn't paying attention so he ordered himself his usual, a vanilla bean coffee (because of course it reminded him of her and every time he sipped the dang cup he had wondered why she liked it so much). After getting his drink he sat himself dramatically across from her in order to catch her attention.

"So," Joe sipped the drink in his hand, "what was so damn urgent that you had me stop in the middle of showering to come see you?" he smirked at her.

She looked at her watch and smirked back at him, "Good to know showering was too important of you to drop since you took so god damn long Joe!"

He laughed at her remark and just continued smiling as he brought his drink to his lips. "Same ol' Miley, always willing to bring me here to catch up or to start trouble and always the latter."

She smiled, "I knew only you would like this place."

His smile faltered, "Only place that reminded me so damn much of you," he whispered as her smile dropped also.

The look on her face and he knew it, he knew she was sorry and he didn't mean to push it all up in her face but he didn't know what to do. She was always so worried about her friendship with Demi and everyone else and mixed with her troubles with her relationship with Nick that he felt left out. But having her back now and sitting across from her in this coffee shop, he knew and he was willing to let it go because he loved her and he still did like she was his own sister.

Feeling uncomfortable by the silence, Miley coughed before speaking. "Joe, you see that warehouse across there?"

Joe nodded. It had been vacant for quite some time and there were rumors that it had been bought.

"Momma bought that for me." And then she told him everything from her actual dreams to her mom's letter and the real reason why she was back.

Joe sat across from her with an incredulous look. No one knew of course because she wouldn't let anyone know. All anyone could have guess was that Miley did not want to come back and the only reason for her to was because it was her mom's house and if she hadn't it would be lost and sold to someone else.

"Joe, I want to start my own business," Miley spoke, "but I'm scared."

And he knew why. He knew that no matter how hard-shelled Miley presented herself she was still vulnerable and scared half to death of the future. He reached for her hand and pulled her closer across the table. "Miles, you're gonna change the world and I know it, your mom knew it, heck even the whole town knows it!"

She couldn't help but smile at his compliment.

They finished their conversation and grabbed their drinks making their way across the street towards the entrance of the giant warehouse. She linked arms with him as her free hand jingled the key that was left to her in the will.

"We'll start with redecorating," Joe remained excited. "And you know I'll be there every step along the way."

Miley felt herself smile a real smile for the first time.

**And Miley is coming backkkk! :) I would really appreciate reviews :) Sorry its kinda short.**


	7. Chapter 7

Demi stirred quietly in bed as she turned inward and felt nothing. Her eyes immediately opened to an empty space next to her in bed and she rolled her eyes slightly as the fact that her husband just wasn't there. She let out a loud sigh as she laid back against the bed again staring at the ceiling knowing very well where Joe could be.

Ever since Joe and Miley rushed into the house last week urging her to leave the house even though she was covered in oil pastel in her art studio in the backyard and pushing her towards the part of town she had tried so hard to ignore since Miley had left, had Joe spent less time at home and so much more time than she would have liked at the warehouse. She had fallen in love with the idea that Miley start her own business here designing the clothes that she so often brought to her high clientele. Better off she was just in love with the idea that Miley was staying, she was going to stay in this town. It was the very same town that Demi had grown to love since she moved here with her parents that summer of her teenage years.

She wanted to lay in bed forever that moment even though she knew she would have to drag Joe back home. If it was one thing that Joe love, it was redecorating and building construction, otherwise she wouldn't have gotten the art studio she loved so dearly in the backyard. Demi was about to pull the covers up to her head once more to block out the sun when she heard the front door open and close. Her eyes caught the time and knew it wasn't Joe because his pretty head was stuck in the heavens at that warehouse to even bother leaving when he had just gotten there about two hours ago. She racked her brains and wonder who could possibly walk into her house at this time. Not Miley, certainly not Selena since running into her and Taylor while shopping with Miley had created a tension between them. But who else?

Her thoughts were cut when a figure reached her door panting and trying to catch his breath. Of course she thought as she saw the curly mess of hair in front of her.

"Demi!" Nick managed between his short breaths.

"Nick!" Demi sarcastically mocked him.

Nick looked at her slightly and laughed. He walked over to her and plopped himself onto Joe's side of the bed. Silence captured them for a moment as they stared at the ceiling and then broken by Demi's voice.

"Why, may I ask, are you panting coming up the stairs?" Demi joked. "Told you to lay off the donuts Nick!"

"Ha Ha" Nick shot back at her, pretending for pretend sake. "I wanted to know where Joe was."

"What are you not satisfied with Sel, that you have to come and steal my man?" Demi remarked in a witty way satisfied with herself, "well you're too late anyways, Miley has already stolen him from me the past week."

Nick's face winced at the mention of Miley but Demi hadn't seen it since they were both still staring at the ceiling. He hadn't talked to Miley since the dinner they shared last week and he had been trying to avoid her at all cost for Selena's sake but secretly for his. The past week had been filled up with Selena events and he wasn't complaining (because of course, he loved her right?)

Demi guessed she had caught Nick at an awkward situation when she mention Miley and made a mental note not to do so, so easily anymore. She has tried everything she could possibly since Miley had been here to make them friends again and she knew when to admit defeat.

"Oh," Nick broke her thoughts again, "well then maybe you can help me!"

She turned to face him in the bed as he said this statement and gave him an unconvincing face. Demi didn't like the sound of this at all because whatever he had needed Joe for was certainly a man moment that she did not want to participate in.

Nick smirked as he turn in also facing her, "It's nothing bad! Just need to buy Selena something."

Demi's face calmed down a little bit before twitching in a weird fashion, "And you were going to ask Joe?"

"I knew you would say that!" Nick exasperated. "But he's actually pretty good, well we're pretty good when we're thinking together, who do you think suggested your art studio so long ago?"

Her face brightened at the mention of the studio and Nick knew he had said the right thing and smiled at her. Demi had grown to be like a sister to him and he couldn't have it any better.

"Okay! Let me get ready." Demi exclaimed as she pushed the comforter off her body.

xx

The loud noises were getting to her head and she wondered how life had brought her here in this very moment at this very spot in a place she had loved so much about this town. Miley gazed almost adoringly at her surroundings. Joe had been so great and right about how this place turned out. It was as if he had reconstructed it to have so much of her in the walls and she wondered how he knew so much about her before remembering the late nights they spent together talking when Nick was out of town with his family or the early morning when she brought him to the coffee shop across the street.

"There's my girl!" Miley shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled brightly at Joe in a yellow construction hat.

"It looks soo great Joe!" Miley gushed to him, "Demi was so right when she said you have a knack for things like this!"

Joe smiled full of pride at her compliment. "Well it's almost done! Let me show you," he exclaimed as he held of his arm.

Miley beamed as she curtsied and then grabbed a hold of his arm ready to see the beauty of this place that Joe had put so much effort into in the past week.

"It's such a huge place Miley, I didn't know what to do with most of it so I hope you like it so far." Joe began as they walked to the front. "When you're ready and done, this will be the shop," he motioned at the windows and the lovely island for the cashier then moved back to the back of the warehouse. "And here is your studio," as he pushed the purple curtains aside.

Miley gasped_. No way_, she thought to herself. How had he known? Everything was the way she imagined it since she dreamed of becoming a fashion designer in high school.

From the purple walls to the black wooden floors, Miley stared admiring every little detail. The big black table right near the window to her left where she could cut the material that she would work with and a small work table to the right of it where she could draw and think of her designs. There was even a leather couch near the two tables just by the wall with different shades of bright purple pillows. And one wall of mirrors just like a ballet studio with christmas lights stringed from corner to corner. Two tall cabinets behind the work table filled with empty spaces for designer books but currently placed with dozen scented candles. Random shadow boxes hung against the wall for her liking. There was just enough space for her to work and enough cabinets to put her supplies.

"Joe I love it!" Miley rushed to hug him as she finished turning around staring at the whole place. "How did you know?"

He smiled slightly before telling her, "Demi wasn't the only one who visited your mother for long periods of time."

And before she could even stop it, tears cascaded down her cheeks and she hugged Joe again not knowing what else to say. Joe held her tightly knowing to stay quiet at this moment.

She wiped off her tears with one arm and pulled away from Joe, "Come on, I'm buying you coffee!" Miley grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the warehouse towards across the street.

Joe laughed and followed her satisfied with how happy he had just made her since she same home. Yes, he thought, home was a safe word to say.

xx

Demi pulled Nick's arm towards the mall as they got out of his car. "Hurry Nick!"

"It's only the afternoon Dems!" Nick laughed. "The mall isn't going to close anytime soon!"

At this remark, Demi stuck her tongue out at him and pulled him harder towards the mall. As they entered the front entrance, Demi spoke, "So why are you shopping for Selena again?"

Nick sighed at the question, he didn't want to mention to Demi what had happen even though he was surprise that Miley hadn't told her what had happened between them that night. He was just glad she wasn't outside when he was confronted by Selena.

"Why can't I just be the greatest boyfriend ever and buy her things at random times, hmm Demi?" Nick played it off.

Demi rolled her eyes a bit at the statement and mockingly said, "Please, Nick when are you ever the greatest boyfriend?"

Nick punched her jokingly in the arm and told her to shut up before they made their way to the first store. He didn't know what to get Selena. It wasn't as if he was trying to be forgiven by the thoughts of gifts, no he wasn't that type of guy. He knew that nothing could be forgiven when he came to any girl named Miley, and there was only one girl with that name in this town. Selena could tell him off and he wouldn't know how to fix it, she could pack her bags and leave back to Hollywood where she belong with better recording studios, no he knew she could do anything she pleased and he wouldn't have anymore lifelines.

Yes, he understood perfectly. (or did he?)

His thoughts were all a blur when Demi pulled on his arm towards the jewelry section.

"Well mister greatest boyfriend ever," Demi joked, "here would be the place to start."

Nick stared at the gleaming diamonds on the necklaces lined in the glass case to the bracelets aligned on top in neat little patterns. But his eyes made an obvious motion towards the rings placed in the other glass cases.

He thought for a minute and looked here and there for Demi's sake because this was her idea to begin with. And he wasn't the type of man to put down a girl's idea the very first minute she mentions it.

Of course, the necklace with a heart pendant would have been wonderful along Selena's collarbone. And he imagined kissing the very spot before putting it around her neck. The sapphire tennis bracelet would have sat beautifully against her slender wrist and as his eyes yielded again to the rings he imagined a beauty of a diamond along her smooth fingers.

But he knew this wasn't the right present. Jewelry should not be made for apologizes in his opinion. Jewelry like these were meant for moments that were wonderful and filled with love, not filled with quick movements that weren't thought out too well or decided rashly.

Nick turned to Demi and shook his head, "No, this isn't the right idea Dems."

Demi nodded, understandingly. To her, she knew jewelry wasn't the type of gift that Nick would give Selena. She understood that Nick thought of jewelry as something special and in her heart (or so she hoped) there was only one girl that was that special to him and she wasn't lying in the same bed with him the past nights.

They roamed through the stores looking at clothes and bags even shoes before Nick realized that the right gift was not in the mall. Demi however thought the gold, glimmering with diamonds, heels had come close. To this, Nick laughed and made a mental note to come back and buy for her since Demi's birthday was just around the corner.

They walked back to the car arm in arm with ice creams that they had gotten from the food court laughing over nothing important and forgetting that their trip had been nothing at all successful.

xx

Selena sat silently in their room wondering where the hell her boyfriend could be. She had just come home from the recording studio and gotten out of a recent phone call that made her agitated. It had been nearly three years since Nick had released his last album. The record label was asking for another the past year. And no matter how hard she tried and pushed, he had little motivation to write the songs that made her fall in love with him the first place.

Agitated, Selena began cleaning the house starting with their room. She thought back to the moment where he had asked her to go on their first date. It was a soft and kind of sullen moment but she made the most out of it because he had finally made the move and gave them a chance. She knew he was hurt, but she made it her mission to focus on making him better.

It had been going so great until a turn of events. Her mother dying, she remembered being there holding onto Nick's hand as the tears sunk down to his lips. She could still imagine the taste of them as she kissed him that night.

Then she came back.

And it was downhill from there. Selena felt it the moment she caught Joe and Nick talking in this very room.

Her thoughts continued to run as she picked up the laundry basket of clean clothes to fold. She pulled the drawer open to fill it up with his shirts before stopping to pull a few up and her eyes caught the little black box.

She had found it so long ago; it seemed like years when really it had only been later the past year when she came across it. She dared not to open it because she thought maybe just maybe it was for her and he would ask just soon enough.

The thought that they had only been dating for a year and a half at that time she first saw the box didn't cross her mind. Now it had been almost three years and he still hadn't asked. And she didn't dare mention that she had found it but she liked to look at the box every here and there wondering what beauty was in there.

Her fingers held the box and her desires took over as she gingerly opened the box with her delicate fingers. And she gasped.

_How could it be anymore gorgeous than I had imagined,_ she thought. It was a princess cut diamond that stood in the middle of silver lines that entangled among themselves and smaller diamonds laid among the empty spaces.

She wanted to try it on, to feel the heavy weight among her ring finger. But she heard the door open and shut the box quickly putting it back into the drawer as the footsteps came closer to the room.

"Sel?" a tiny voice became clear as the door open.

She sighed to herself and was glad it wasn't Nick but Taylor. "Taylor!" she smiled brightly.

Selena picked up the folded material and stuffed it quickly into the drawers then urged Taylor towards the kitchen.

"What are you here for?" she asked a bit too cheerily as she poured a cup of tea for the two of them.

Taylor smiled and answered, "Just wanted to drop by since I'm in the neighborhood."

Selena nodded as she sipped the cup. Taylor had moved a couple miles away from the rest of the gang some months ago. Selena supposed it was because Taylor just couldn't stand living in an area that reminded her of a mother figure she loved so much; Miley's mother of course.

And Selena cursed to herself quietly, this whole town seemed to be revolved around Miley and her mother.

The two girls sat there all afternoon sipping tea and talking amongst themselves catching up. At the end of it all as Selena watched Taylor pull out of the driveway, she was grateful to have met such a wonderful friend like Taylor while she was here. It wasn't that Demi and Joe weren't wonderful, but she never felt the kind of closeness with them as she did with Taylor.

She made a silent movement towards the drawer again as she entered the room but sidetracked herself as she heard the door open again certain that it was Nick this time and not anyone else.

xx

Joe and Miley had talked away their afternoon over vanilla bean coffee before closing up the warehouse and heading back home.

Miley wanted to drive directly home but Joe had insisted that Demi would want her to come by before letting her go home. She pulled out of the parking lot after Joe and followed him back home. She turned the audio on and had forgotten that his CD was still playing since she last took this car out.

She let his words drown her thoughts until reaching the driveway that Joe had pulled in. Her thoughts had been too occupied that Miley hadn't seen Nick's car parked along the street in front of the house.

Laughing, she followed Joe into the house hearing voices in the kitchen and stopped. Joe begged silently with his eyes for her to just say hello. But Miley didn't want to. Of course she hadn't told anyone what had happen but it was because she didn't want to restate what she had saw and what she had felt.

But Joe kept begging and Miley couldn't say no any longer before being dragged into the kitchen.

Demi and Nick were in the middle of laughing when they both looked up to see Joe and Miley at the edge of the kitchen.

"Baby!" Demi screamed laughing and running to hug Joe, while Nick looked away uncomfortably and Miley laughed at her best friend.

Nick looked around uncomfortably before deciding it was time to go home. "Okay I guess I should go" he stated looking up at three pairs of eyes, "Thanks Demi for today and good to see you Joe!"

Miley shifted uncomfortably. "Oh please don't go, I was just going to leave and I'm sure they would rather have your company than mine," she mumbled as she looked at him.

Demi clung onto Joe awkwardly as the scene unfolded them.

"I just wanted to say hi to Dems and ask her for some paint." Miley continued looking at Demi.

"Oh!" Demi jumped out of Joe's embrace, "Of course Miles!" and dragged her away to her studio in the backyard.

Joe stood there awkwardly with Nick for a moment as the girls rushed out.

"What the hell happen between you two?" Joe started as he looked over at Nick.

Before Nick could answer (not like he wanted to answer) the girls had walked in and Miley was carrying a bucket of black paint.

"Well," Miley started again awkwardly. "Thanks Dems for the paint and Joe for today." She hugged her best friend and gave Joe a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later." She made her way to the door.

"Bye Nick," she whispered wondering if he had caught it at all and slipped through the door way towards her car.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Nick bid the couple goodbye and headed out to his car towards home.

xx

Miley had rushed out of there as quickly as she could and pulled her car into her driveway and glanced over at where she had been. She saw Nick reach his car, made a u-turn towards his house and past her before she could get out of hers.

Holding on the can of black paint and her purse she found little difficulty getting the key into the lock and opening her house. She set her purse on the couch and held a tight grip onto the handle of the can. She made her way around the kitchen finding a paint brush before heading upstairs.

Reaching the right room, she pulled open the closet door and dripped the paintbrush in the black can. After a few minutes, she stood back to look at her handiwork.

The black paint had made it less noticeable and that made her happy.

_Nick + Miley = Forever_ didn't shine so bright among the black paint and that made her happy.

But it didn't stop her from sinking down the wall with tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

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**Enjoy! :) I kind of like this chapter a lot. Review please, I would greatly appreciate it. Let me know what you guys think will happen in the future.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hiii okay I read over the last chapter and realized I made a mistake, Selena originally came from New York not Hollywood. So Nick realizes that Selena could leave back to NEW YORK and there wouldn't be anything he could do about it. Sorry for the mistake haha. :) **

**And here's a chapter that I really like also and I hope you like it too. Let me know what you think in the reviews. Thank you for reading and reviewing I really appreciate it. Happy 2011 also! Love you guys. **

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Ever since Joe had finished furnishing the warehouse, Miley had such difficulty leaving the place. Especially when it contained everything she ever could possibly need to survive. There was even a small refrigerator behind her desk where Demi made sure to keep it full of healthy but yummy treats for her.

The more she had thought about her life here, the more she felt how much her friends were watching over her and it brought a warm fuzzy feeling to her heart that she had been looking for long and hard in LA. Miley supposed her mother was right when she had told her a while back before she left to LA that home was always where the heart was. She didn't know it at the time and had thought it meant Nick would always be her heart and he was here all along. But it hadn't struck her how much her mother knew about her and how much her friends meant so much.

She wouldn't be able to find someone like Joe along the Hollywood street, nor anyone near as talented as Demi and she knows, not matter how much she wish to deny it, that no one could compare to Nick when it came to love.

It had been long and tedious but many fun filled weeks she had spent late nights here in her studio doing her thing getting ready open a store that she would love and had put all her heart into it. Miley sighed as she leaned against the black table now covered in a pretty golden color material. She thought long and hard wondering when she last felt this satisfied with putting all her heart into it and her mind flickered an image of Nick.

Nick, Nick, Nick was all she thought about since that night at dinner weeks ago. And that image of him that night walking into Selena's car was burning her head. She wanted to forget, she wish she hadn't seen him kissing Selena like it was all he knew how to do.

But she couldn't.

And if anyone really had known her, the changed her in LA, would have known that the only reason she had thrown herself so much into her work was to avoid things like this. Actually to take her mind off Nick.

She knew she left. She knew she didn't make it to dinner on time and stood him up. She knew that for the last year of their relationship was her fault and that gnawed her insides up so much that she refused to come back home and went head straight into her job as celebrity stylist.

Of course she had left because of this fucking town. How could she had known walking into that interview that day would have turned into this whole mess she now called her life? She could still remember his sticky hands all over her and the way he leaned up all against her face. The traces of his lips on hers still felt real everytime she looked at herself in the mirror. And her hand across his face still imprinted in her memory as she ran out of the building only to hear him yell profanity. She could still imagine herself crying in her car feeling dirty and her shaky fingers reaching for her phone. Miley could still hear Nick's voice concerned through the phone.

Miley brought her hand to her temple as to ease her overflowing thoughts. She had been so caught up thinking about everything that she hadn't realize the tears now flowing against her cheek. She sighed walking over to the shelves near her desk reaching for the box of tissues, grabbing one and dabbing it against her cheekbones as she sat down on the black couch.

Her hand found the quilt that she had pulled out of her mom's closet back at home and as she fingered along the edges she remembered the exact moment that she would hope to never lose.

_Winter had just hit Dallas and for once this time it was snowing. The white flakes covered the roads, trees and houses not allowing anyone to be outside in the current weather. Miley sat in the living room in front of the fireplace wishing that she wasn't home alone. Her mom had gone to Tennessee to visit her grandma and wouldn't be back until the snow allowed her to. She had found herself in her mom's closet the whole morning feeling sick to her stomach missing her mom when she pulled down the different patterned quilt from the top shelf. _

_She remembered it was grandma who taught her mom how to quilt and this was the first one that her mom had ever made. Her nose sniffed the material and she was brought back to her mom, french vanilla with a little hint of cigars which must had come from her dad who died when she had reached the age of 3. _

_Miley held onto the quilt as she reached for the remote and turned the t.v onto the weather channel. The storm was getting worse between Tennessee and Texas and she knew there was no way her mom would make it out of there any time soon. It was only a week before Christmas and Miley prayed that the storm would calm down in order for her mom to make it back. Christmas would not be the same without her. _

_Turning off the television, Miley let out a groan. She hated being by herself. Worse of all she hated being stuck in the house by herself. _

_Pulling the quilt over her head, Miley fell back against the sofa ready to shut everything out. Her eyes were drooping when she heard the doorbell ring. It was snowing enough that it would be hard for anyone to come here at this very moment. She pulled the quilt off and starked towards the door. _

_"Nick?" the words slipped as she managed to open the door without freezing her fingers off. "Why are you here?" _

_Her cheeks burned at the sight of his sloppy smile when he looked at her and closed the door after he stepped in. _

_"I know you hate being home alone." Nick hugged her, "Especially with your mom being gone." _

_Miley leaned into the crook of his neck and inhaled in his cologne. There was a slight scent of musk lingering with other smells that were stronger and she smiled into his body. And she thought to herself, how in the world did she get so lucky? She never wanted to forget this moment. _

_Nick pulled her towards the couch but still managing to keep her close. He held her tightly as he pulled the quilt to cover them and then kissing her forehead._

_They didn't know how long they had laid there in each others arms. It wasn't as if time mattered to them at that very moment. And Miley wanted to stay like this forever. (Yes forever, she thought, no matter how much she hated the word.) _

_"Nick..." she whispered as she tugged her head up to face his. "Do you think my mom will come home safely?" _

_Her voice was small and timid and Nick knew this was hard for her. He had known all along how hard it was for her to be left alone. Maybe she didn't know her father, but ever since losing him at that age Miley never felt secure alone. And he knew with her mom gone the feeling was just much worse. _

_He pulled her close again and kissed her head. He held her close to his chest allowing her to hear his heartbeat. _

_Thump. Thump. Thump. _

_"She'll be home before you know it baby," he spoke against her hair and leaned in to kiss her head again. His hand kept at her hair as he stroke it again and again as they laid there on the couch by the fireplace. _

_Nick watched as her blue eyes shut down and the fire lit a bright yellow glow against her skin. He knew he had made the right choice coming tonight, even if it meant walking through the snow and ignoring his mother's calls to come back. He pulled her closer and wrapped the quilt around them and drifted off the sleep not noticing the snow fall harder outside. _

Miley shooked her head as to get out of a trance, she touched the quilt again before letting go and getting up. She walked to the front door of the store and checked to see if it was locked, then got to the warehouse entrance near the back and locked it also. She managed to turn off all the lights allowing for about ten candles that held small light bulbs instead of fire radiate brightly around her desk and the couch. She pulled down the purple curtains covering the window and walked back to the couch. Pulling the quilt she fell back against the sofa and drifted into sleep not worried about what she might dream, whether she wanted it or not. It was always Nick anyways and Miley understood she had to stop denying that fact.

xoxo

Demi pounded on the entrance door to Miley's warehouse. She had seen Miley's car still parked behind where it had always been when she was here. One hand was pounding the door again while the other held onto a tupperware of breakfast and vanilla bean coffee from the shop across the street. It was a cold morning and Demi certainly didn't like being out here.

"Miley! Open up the door! l'm freezing my ass out here!" Demi screamed and pounded the door again. It was only 9 in the morning, not a bad time to wake up according to Demi.

Her hands were about to pound the door again but it had open revealing a disheveled Miley wrapped up in patterned quilt. Miley looked at her best friend and walked away leaving the entrance open.

"Finally! Geesh girlfriend, did you stay here the whole night?" Demi rushed in holding on to the coffee and kicked the entrance to close. "I brought you breakfast and that god awful coffee you love to drink. You and Joe both. I swear you guys need to get some new tastebuds."

Miley brushed her hair out of her face before massaging her temple. She wasn't awake enough to listen to this. "Oh gawd Dems, shut up!" And grabbed the coffee out of her hand and walked back to the couch.

She sipped the warm liquid and felt a sudden surge of ease as Demi sat down next to her. Miley' fingers pulled the quilt tighter around her petite frame and suddenly she realized just how cold it was in the warehouse. She leaned over the couch towards the heater against the wall and cranked it up. Accomplishing what she had wanted she leaned back against Demi and felt the cool air suddenly turn warm.

Demi had done what Miley wanted though not out of bitterness cause that what best friends do. She open the lid to the tupper ware and held out a fork. Of course it would be leftovers from last night, Miley thought, and of course it would be lasagna. Miley smiled willingly towards the brunette and gladly took the fork.

After eating down what seemed like and endless tupperware of lasagna, Miley leaned back against the couch content with sipping the rest of her vanilla bean coffee. She made a mental note to screw her friends for hating on her choice of coffee and to ask why in the world did Joe drink the same thing.

She was sitting there dreamily drinking the cup in her hand as Demi stood up and walked towards the many mannequins in the corner between the back of the store and her black table which was still covered with the gold material. Demi gingerly touched the army green dress that hung perfectly on the mannequin and glanced over at the other outfits.

"You are so talented Miles," Demi looked back where Miley sat.

Miley smiled awkwardly back. She didn't know how to take compliments when it came to stuff like this. It wasn't like she was the best, she knew that. Plus this was the first time she ever really tried something like this even though she did make her own clothes back in Hollywood.

Her thoughts were messed up when Demi spoke again. "So what are you gonna do for the store in the front?"

She thought about this for a moment. Yeah she wanted to make clothes and put them out like other designers in major stores with different sizes but she was barely starting out and it wouldn't work too well to begin with. So she had decided that this was going to be her baby and she would have to start out small.

"I'm going to do a few samples to hang in front of the store mirrors but I want people to come in and ask me to make them their clothes therefore its more tailored to them." Miley responded certain of this choice.

Demi smiled hugely at this idea. She hugged Miley and exclaimed along the lines of how happy she was that Miley was back home then continued to chatter about other topics of the town like the old festival it always held each year and how it was coming up in a few short months.

"Oh!" Demi realized as she got up ready to leave. "My birthday party is tomorrow remember?"

Miley laughed, "how could I forget Dems, you remind everyone every five seconds. I'm sure Joe is ready to blow."

"Ha-ha," Demi humored her. "Okay see you back home later." She closed the entrance leaving Miley behind to work.

Miley walked towards her black table and looked at the golden material. An idea had sparked in her head and she knew exactly just what to get Demi for her birthday tomorrow. She pulled the right measurements that she had taken from Demi the other day and began cutting.

xoxo

Nick had started his car that morning with no intention of going anywhere. He knew Selena wanted him in the recording studio to work on new songs but he wasn't in the mood. His tastebuds were hoping for some coffee. And he didn't know how he had gotten to this side of the town, maybe subconsciously or maybe fate but ever since he had heard about the warehouse he wanted to see it for himself.

He pulled his car into the coffee shop's parking lot just across the warehouse. The windows in the front that Joe had build were covered in newspapers meaning it wasn't ready to be open yet. And he didn't want to barge in uninvited just to see the place. Nick sighed as he walked into the coffeeshop not sure of what to order and not sure he felt comfortable at this area he had spent so much time here with Miley during senior year.

The line wasn't long and it wasn't a long time until he reached the cashier. He had to refrain himself from ordering a vanilla bean coffee and decided on a caramel decaf. Waiting by the bar, he looked around for a table and saw a secluded one by the corner of the window with just enough sunlight. He didn't want to work at the studio and thought might as well try to write a few songs while he's here. Grabbing his coffee from the worker he headed over to the area and plopped himself down on the cushion chair. He pulled out the music sheet and sipped his decaf ready for a long afternoon.

Hours passed and Nick looked down at his handiwork. It wasn't great and he didn't like it one bit. He crumpled the paper and threw it on the other end of his table. Not feeling motivated, Nick decided on just glancing at people who either walked in or out of the coffeeshop or chose to sit at a table. He sipped his coffee and stared at the couple sitting not to far from him. His eyes focused on her features, the long brown hair and the high cheekbones as well as her laugh reminded him of somebody. He drifted back to senior year and the many moments he spent in this very same place with Miley.

The way she always ordered the same drink, or how her hair never seemed to stay in place where she wanted no matter how many times she pulled it away from her face. How she would sing or hum along to the music playing crossed his mind too. Or how her hands always found his underneath the table. The way she smiled at him from across his seat, he could never forget that smile.

He had been too caught up with his thoughts to notice a brunette entering the shop around late afternoon. Nick brought his decaf up to his lips but found the cup empty. He sighed and reached for his wallet before standing up to order more coffee. His feet made it's way to the cashier and there was only one person before him.

And that brown hair, he could recognize anywhere. Those curves, he knew them by heart (or he thought he did). And that laugh, oh that laugh he thought.

He was interrupted when he heard her say thanks and turned around.

There she stood wide-eyed. And he attempted to smile at her but even that couldn't mask his surprise either. (Oh what a lovely surprise it is).

"Miley..." He managed to look at her eyes as he said this.

She fidgeted and he knew she was nervous. "Nick," he heard her whisper inaudibly yet it was still loud to him.

"So.." he jumped around in his mind for a topic to discuss. "I heard about the warehouse!"

Miley smiled slightly at this and nodded not sure of where she was gonna head next and for all she cared it could have been a trainwreck. "I can show you the place, it right across from here." She pointed out the window.

Nick nodded and went to order his coffee before they left. Waiting, he had packed his music sheets and when their drinks had been ready he followed her across the street.

When they entered, Nick stood silently in awe. Even words were not sufficient enough to describe just how amazingly beautiful this place was. He saw everything was in place just like she had dreamed about all those years ago and was glad Joe had talked to him the minute he started this project, in order to get the idea for this place.

His eyes flickered to the mannequin and was amazed with what he saw. Then they flickered towards the frames along the shelves and shadow boxes. They stopped at a picture he had recognized so long ago. It was senior year at the coffeeshop where they had asked someone to take the picture but it didn't turn out to great. The picture was a bit blurry but he could make out Miley's laughter as she had slammed a handful of whipped cream on his face.

He touched the frame, "I didn't know you kept this."

Miley blushed. She had pulled out the old pictures from a box hidden in her closet. Thinking back to her closet she remembered the newly painted black doors. Her heart was torn, she couldn't deny anymore but she wanted to. She needed to move on.

"There's a lot you don't know," she responded softly.

Nick turned to face her a little bit shocked. He had a feeling where this was gonna go and if he knew better he would be walking out the door this very moment. But he didn't want to go, no his heart told him to stay put and his brain was just tired of fighting.

Miley was now a few steps away from him. She held on to herself, something she did when she was nervous. But one look into his brown eyes and she knew she couldn't stop doing what she was about to do even if she tried.

"I miss you..." she stated softy pulling away from his eyes, "...I can't keep fighting and denying it anymore. I shouldn't have ended things the way they did."

There was silence and Miley took it as the opportunity to continue. "I just hated this town and it was just such a big part of your life I had to leave."

Nick looked at her cautiously, anger boiling at a minimum. He wanted to stay in control, he couldn't lose it now not when he needed it the most. He gripped on the frame hard breaking the wood slightly. "You miss me?"

Miley stuttered a yes, certainly scared cause she knew he was getting angry.

"Miley, I flew to L.A for you. I called you every single day. And you left me there at the table with a bottle of wine and a waiter who kept asking me if it was just going to be a table of one." He spoke as he walked towards her dropping the frame on the table.

She looked at him and the tears started falling.

"And you hated this town? Of course you did! But this town was more a part of your life than mine and you let it affect you the same fucking way. You just ran away and left me like I wasn't good enough. You LEFT Miley!" Nick was now screaming and closer to her than ever.

Miley stared into his eyes who were now glowering over hers. She looked down and whispered, "but I'm back now..."

"Being back now doesn't mean anything Mi! You can't waltz back into here playing the goddamn victim and think everything will go back to normal. If I recalled, you slammed the door on my face the first night." Nick was breathing down her face. "And I have Selena for god's sake."

She nodded the tears more evident now. "But you still love me!" she pleaded through her sobs. "Say you still love me Nick."

Nick stared at her intensely as if he was digging a hole to her soul.

And before he could say anything, Miley leaned in and captured his lips in a passionate kiss.


End file.
